Hoodcap



March 12,1946. K. R. ALLEN. 2,396,225

noon CAP Original Filed Nov. 24, 1942 HTTUANEY IN V EN TOR.

Patented Mar. 12, 1946 HOODCAP Kenneth R. Allen, Ridgewood, N. Y., assignor to 1 American Seal-Kap Corporation of Delaware, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Original application November 24, 1942, Serial No. 466,730. Divided and this application June 10, 1943, Serial No. 490,233

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hood caps for milk bottles or the like and more particularly to a hood cap having a pleated skirt extending around the outside of the bottle and having its folds adhesively secured together.

This application is a division of my co-pending application, Ser. 466,730, of Nov. 24, 1942, for Hood cap and method and apparatus for making the same, now Patent No. 2,381,851, dated Aug. 7, 1945.

An object of the invention is to provide a cap of the above type having novel and improved characteristics. Another object is to provide a cap of the above type having pleats which are folded to effect a maximum sealing area.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are pointed out more particularly in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself may be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a specific embodiment thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a formed cap embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a cap as applied to a bottle; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, developed, detail view showing the pleat folds.

In the following description certain specific terms are used for convenience in referring to various details of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that these terms are to be given as broad an interpretation as the state of the art will permit.

A tamper-proof, hood cap for milk bottles, in accordance with the present invention, is shown as comprising a central diaphragm H), a pouring lip housing ll having a vertical inner wall i2, a top I3 and a plurality of raised ribs or top corrugations l4 and a folded or pleated skirt l5, which extends outwardly from the pouring lip housing l3. The skirt I5 is creased along fold lines l6, l1 and i8 to form flat sections [9 and inclined sections and 2|, which are adapted to be folded over around the neck 22 of a milk bottle as shown in Fig. 3. The folds are held in position around the bottle neck by a suitable adhesive which is applied to the outside surface of the skirt. The adhesive is preferably made in the form of a narrow band 23 around the lower edge of the outside of the skirt, although the width of the band may be varied as desired. The adhesive is applied to the outer surface of the skirt rather than the inner surface inasmuch as this prevents contamination of the bottle and simplifies the cleaning problem. The cap may be made from a paper blank or from a thin flexible metal such as aluminum foil or other flexible material.

A feature of the present invention resides in arranging the folds so that the entire width of the band 23 is available for sealing purposes.

In order to accomplish this, the fold lines l6, l7 and I8 are 50 arranged that when the skirt is folded over around the neck of a bottle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4," with the sections 20 and 2| inturned to form a concealed pleat 25, the lower edge 24 of the section 2i comes into exact registration with the lower edge of the underlying section 20, with the corresponding portions of the band 23 of the contacting surfaces also in registration.

The concealed fold line or crease l8 extends rearwardly at an angle to the vertical and the bottom edge 24 of the concealed pleat 25 is displaced upwardly as shown in Fig. 4. However,

. this does not reduce the area of contact of the adhesive surfaces inasmuch as the folded-over portion of the adhesive band in the concealed pleat 25 registers With the underlying portion of the adhesive band on the outer face of the under layer. Under these conditions it is found that the fold line H, defining the edge of the outer fold, extends substantially vertically when the skirt is folded around the outside of the bottle neck, as shown in Fig. 3.

In addition to providing a maximum sealing area, the cap thus formed has a neat and pleasing appearance inasmuch as the lower edge is substantially uniform around the entire skirt. In fact, the lower edge comprises a series of arcs corresponding in radius to the original blank, although the appearance to the eye approximates a straight line. Hence, the cap may be considered when in place to have a substantially straight, lower edge.

The cap may include an inner disc 30 which may be seated within the cup formed by the diaphragm l0 and the walls I2 and may assist in holding the cap in position on the bottle. Such disc may also be used to carry the necessary printing for identifying the contents of the bottle.

A suitable method and apparatus for forming a cap of the above type is disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application 466,730 above referred to.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been set forth for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein and that the invention is capable of various uses as will be apparent to a-person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A hood cap for containers formed from a substantially circular blank and comprising a central diaphragm and a pleated skirt extending downwardly therefrom around the outside of the container, a band of adhesive disposed around the peripheral portion of the outer surface only of the skirt, said skirt having overlapped portions folded under about vertical fold lines to form concealed pleats with the portions of the adhesive band on the contacting surfaces of the pleats in registration throughout the entire area thereof and wtih the exposed lower edges of the skirt forming substantially a straight line aroundthe container} said concealed pleats all extending in the same direction from said fold lines.

2. A hood cap for containers formed from a substantially circular blank and comprising a central diaphragm and a pleated skirt extending downwardly therefrom around the outside of the container, a band of adhesive disposed around the peripheral portion of the outer surface only of the skirt, said skirt having overlapped portions folded under about vertical fold lines to form concealed pleats with the portions of the adhesive band on the contacting surfaces of the pleats in registration throughout the entire area thereof and with the exposed lower edges of the skirt forming substantially a straight line around the container, said concealed pleats all extending in the same direction from said fold lines, said skirt having inclined fold lines extending from the top ofeach verticalffold line to the bottom of the next vertical fold line and forming flat triangular portions above said inclined fold lines and inclined triangular portions below said inclined fold lines suited to conform the skirt to the contour of the container;

KENNETH R. ALLEN. 

